Film holder



Oct 31, 19553 E FQRSSELL 2,527,626

FILM HOLDER Filed May 27, 1945 & :10

INVEN TOR.

\ 2177c G. fb/"wefl By W M @w v ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a holder for photographic film or the like.

The device of the present invention provides means whereby a number of similar sheets of cut film, print paper, or other analogous sheets may conveniently be handled during developing, fixing, Washing, and other operations. With the device of the present invention, a single manipulative operation conditions the apparatus for the reception of a plurality of sheets and a single subsequent manipulative operation closes the device whereby it simultaneously grips all of the sheets along their opposed side edges and holds them in properly spaced relation whereby the entire device may be immersed in a developing or fixing solution or any other bath.

In the prior art, various holders for films and prints have been proposed, but these generally comprise individual frames requiring separate handling or built-up stacks wherein each sheet of film is manually introduced and then clamped or otherwise retained by an individual manipulative step. The inconvenience attendant upon use of these prior art devices is obvious when consideration is given to the speed and facility with which the device shown herein can be used.

While specific details of construction are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the following specification, it is to be understood that the principles of th invention are not limited, excepting as defined in the appended claims.

The constructions illustrated and described are by way of example only.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of the holder of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view with the device in open position and with portions of the side plates broken away for added clearness;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified form of the invention; and

ig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 4.

In the various figures of the drawing, like characters of reference denote like parts, and, referring to Figs. 1 through 3, the numerals l0 and l l designate generally front and rear frame members. The front frame member ll) comprises upper and lower horizontal rails l2 and I3 which are rigidly secured to vertically extending side rails l4 and IS, in any desired manner, as by means of screws or the like. Rear frame member ll similarly comprises upper and lower horizontal rail elements l8 and [9 which are permanently secured to vertical side rails 20 and 2|.

The device of Figs. 1 through 3 includes upper and lower left-hand side plates 23 and 24 and corresponding upper and lower right-hand side plates 25 and 26. Front frame member I0 is pivoted to the upper and lower side plates as at 28 and 29, respectively, at both the left and righthand sides thereof. The pivotal connections may be by means of screws, rivets, pins or any other suitable conventional pivoting means. Rear frame member H is likewise pivotally secured to the upper and lower side plates as at 30 and 3|, respectively, likewise at each side thereof.

A series of intermediate vertical side rails 34 are provided and each is pivoted to the upper and lower left-hand side plates 23 and 24 as shown at 35 and 38, respectively. In a similar manner, an intermediate series of vertical side rails 38 are pivoted to the right-hand side plates 25 and 26 as at 40 and M, respectively. The pivot points 28, 35 and 30 extend in a diagonal line across upper plate 23 and the pivot points 29, 36 and 3| are similarly arranged across lower plate 24. The same is true of the corresponding pivot points at the right-hand side of the device.

It is believed that it will be clear from the foregoing that, by grasping the upper rails l2 and i8 in one hand, and the lower rails l3 and IS in the other hand, an operator may readily move the parts from the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the open position illustratedin Fig. 3, such movement being limited by abutment of the adjacent edges of the upper and lower side plates 23 through 25. This manipulative movement causes the several rails 34 and 38 to be uniformly spaced from each other and likewise from the front vertical rails 14 and I5 and the rear ver tical rails 20 and 2!, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Opposed pairs of slots are thus provided for the reception of the opposite side margins of sheets of film or the like.

To facilitate introduction of the sheets, each of the intermediate side rails has an inwardly projecting lug at its upper end and each of the lugs is preferably rounded as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to facilitate introduction of the several sheets of film. Front rails 14 and I5 have similar lugs 46, likewise preferably rounded. When the device is in the position shown in Fig. 3 and sheets of film or the like are dropped into the opposed pairs of slots, downward movement is arrested by their coming in contact with a rod which extends through vertically elongated slots5l and 52 formed in the lower horizontal rails l3 and I9, and rod 50 may be headed at its opposite ends as at 53 and 54 to prevent displacement.

After a series of sheets have been introduced, a reverse manipulation is effected to move the parts from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 toward the position illustrated in Fig. 2 until the opposed edges of the various side rails grip the marginal side edges of the several sheets of film or the like and hold them in position, whereupon the entire assembly may be immersed in a treating bath or the like. When removal of the several sheets is desired, the device is again opened to the position of Fig. 3, and the several sheets may be individually lifted from the device or simultaneously dumped out.

Figs. 4 and 5 show fragmentarily a modification wherein the top and bottom horizontal rails of the front and rear frame members are extensible and contractible to adjust the device for the accommodation of sheets of material of various widths. In Fig. 4 side plate portions are fragmentarily indicated at 60 and El and correspond to the upper left and right side plates 23 and 25 of the previously described embodiment. Similarly, front vertical rails 62 and 63 correspond to the front vertical rails l4 and of the previously described embodiment.

Figs. 4 and 5 show only the upper front hori- Zontal rail means, but it is to be understood that similar adjustable rails are provided in substitution for the four rails l2, l3, l8 and IQ of the previous embodiment. Referring to Fig. 4, the numeral 65 designates a channel-shaped element which is secured at one end to vertical rail 62 and the numeral 66 indicates a second rail element which is secured at one end to vertical rail 63. Rail element 66 projects into channel element 65 and is provided with a locking screw 6'! which moves adjustably in a slot 68 formed in the web of channel element 65 during adjustment. Tightening of the adjusting screws of the four rail elements of the device sets the device to any particular desired width.

In a further modification which it is not necessary to illustrate separately, the upper pivot pins 35 and 40 of the intermediate side rails 34 and 38 may be omitted entirely. In this modification, the upper ends of the side rails 34 and 38 will merely rest against each other and against back rails and 2| when the device is in open position corresponding to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. However, mere insertion of a sheet of film or the like between the rounded upper ends of adjacent rails will spread the adjacent rails sufficiently to accommodate the sheet.

While the several vertical rails are shown straight in Figs. 1 through 3, it is within the purview of the present invention to have the rails extend in arcuate parallelism. In this manner, prints having a natural curvature can be engaged in the device so that they are held in reverse curvature and beneficial correction of the curvature is thus provided, either by its elimination or by a substantial reduction in degree.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder for a plurality of sheets of photographic film or the like comprising a pair of spaced generally rectangular end frame elements, upper and lower connecting means extending between the end frame elements at opposite sides thereof, said upper connecting means being pivoted to one of said end frame elements and being pivotally connected to the other of said end frame elements at a point lower than the first-mentioned pivot so that a line along the upper connecting means through the end frame pivots is oblique with respect to the plane of the tops of the end frame elements, said lower frame elements being similarly pivoted to the end frame elements so that a line along the lower connecting means through the two end pivots is parallel to the first-mentioned oblique line whereby the end frame elements and the upper and lower connecting means comprise parallel linkages at opposite sides of the holder, a series of intermediate upright rails at each of said opposite sides of the holder and inwardly of the upper and lower connecting means, each rail being pivoted to the adjacent upper and lower connecting means at points lying along the parallel oblique lines, whereby joint pivotal movement of said parallel linkages to a more nearly rectangular linkage causes the rails to move apart and converse movement to amore acute position causes the upright rails to move toward each other to clamp the marginal side edges of sheets between adjacent rails at opposite sides of the holder.

2. A holder for a plurality of sheets of photographic film or the like comprising a pair of spaced generally rectangular end frame elements, upper and lower connecting means extending between the end frame elements at opposite sides thereof, said upper connecting means being pivoted to one of said end frame elements and being pivotally connected to the other of said end frame elements at a point lower than the first-mentioned pivot so that a line along the upper connecting means through the end frame pivots is oblique with respect to the plane of the tops of the end frame elements, said lower frame elements being similarly pivoted to the end frame elements so that a line along the lower connecting means through the two end pivots is parallel to the first-mentioned oblique line whereby the end frame elements and the upper and lower connecting means comprise parallel linkages at opposite sides of the holder, a series of intermediate upright rails at each of said opposite sides of the holder and inwardly of the upper and lower connecting means, each rail being pivoted to the adjacent upper connecting means at points lying along said oblique line, whereby joint pivotal movement of said parallel linkages to a more nearly rectangular linkage causes the rails to move apart and converse movement to a more acute position causes the upright rails to move toward each other to clamp the marginal side edges of sheets between adjacent rails at opposite sides of the holder.

ERIC G. FORSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,269,457 Killgore June 11, 1918 1,277,462 Newman Sept. 3, 1918 1,417,077 Langton et al May 23, 1922 1,969,893 Leahey Aug. 14, 1934 2,404,117 Worth July 16, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 212,891 Germany Aug. 21, 1909 

